The Past
Hunter age ten
Hunter age nine
We lie in her bed together. Isabel cries so hard her whole body shakes. Her dad, Ivan, hung himself in the basement a week ago. His funeral was today. I held her hand the entire time. She never once let me go. I wonder why he did it. Didn’t he know Isabel and Tyler and their mom needs him. He shouldn’t have been so selfish. Now I have to work twice as hard to keep Isabel safe, to keep all of them safe from Grace.
I can do it.
I know I can.
I have no choice but to be strong for everyone, especially Isabel.
She really needs me now.
She cries and stuffs her face in my neck, throwing her arm around my middle and holding me tight. Her body shakes so hard mine shakes too.
“Isabel, I need you to listen to me.” I stroke her long hair. “Do you think you can do that?”
She sniffs and nods.
“This is hard for you. I know this, but you can’t let this tragedy hold you back. You can’t let anything hold you back, Isabel. You have to keep pushing forward. Even when it hurts to breathe you keep going. You hear me?”
She nods.
“Tell me you hear me, so I know you hear me.”
“I hear you, Hunter,” she says through a low whisper.
“I don’t know what kind of people we’ll be in the future, but I can promise you that loving me will never hurt. I promise that I’ll always be there for you no matter what, Isabel. I promise that we’ll make it through together and come out stronger in the end.”
Her body jerks and she take a deep breath. “Hunter.”
I press my lips into her hair and whisper, “I’m serious, Isabel. You’ll have no choice but to be strong because I’m going to be there to hold you up. I promise.”
“Okay,” she says, her tears stopping a little. “Me and you forever.”
I close my eyes and hold her tighter.
“Forever,” I promise.